Key and permutation operated padlock



Oct.-18, 1938. D. M. BELL 2,133,528

KEY AND PERMUTATION OPERATED PADLOCK Filed' Dec. 5, 1933 4 sheets-sheet 1 ou. 1s, 193s. -D M, BELL I 2,133,528

KEY AND PERMUTATION OPERATED PADLOCK Filed Dec. 5, 1933 4 Sheets-Sham'l 2 Ot.1s,1938. QM, BELL 2,133,538

KEY AND PERMUTATION OPERATED PADLOCK Filed Deo. 5, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 jaf HUHZK 5 zZZa/k-z/Ja//e ZZ. Z @Ma a oct. 18, 1938. D, M, BELL 2,133,528

I .KEY AND PERMUTA'TION OPERATED PADLOCK Filed Dec. 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 18, 1938 I I l UNITED STATES PATENT VnolfFicE KEY AND PERMUTATION VoPERATEn PADLooK Dillwyn M. Bell, River Forest, Ill., assignor to Dudley Lock Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois A Application December 5, 193s, seriei No. 701,022

15 claims. (ci. 'zo- 25) This invention relates to padlocks in which tumblers, II, of the key lock project for normally the control of the locking elementv or shackle holding the plug, 8, against rotation. is alternatively elected by a permutation mech- 'A diskor plate, I2, is rigidly associated with anism and a key-operated mechanism so that the' the spindle, l, for rotation therewith, and is lock may be opened either by means of' a key formed with a notch, I3, into which there exor by setting up the permutation elements in tends the arm of a lever I4, fulcrumed at I5 accordance with a key combination. The inin the casing. Thev shackle,'2, has notches, I6, vention includes various improvements in deformed in both its legs, and is held in locked tails 'of construction and in respect to the opposition in the casing by a pair of locking dogs, l0v eration of the elements as herein shown, de- Il, which respectively engage said notches, |6. 10 scribed and explained, and as indicated by the As seen in Figure 4, these dogs, Il, are similar claims. in shape and are urged yieldingly apart by In the drawings: springs, I8. `They are guided,l for movement into Figure 1 is a face view of a padlock embodying and out of the notches, I6, by the pocket or guide .5 this invention. way, I9, formed in the casing, I, and are con- Figure 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged nected for simultaneous movement in opposite scale showing certain portions of the interior directions by means of a lever, 2U, which is fulmechanisrn having to do with the operation of crumed on a pivot, 2|, secured in theupper wall, the lock by means of a key, the permutation ele- Ia, of the casing. The opposite ends of the lever,

2o ments being removed from the casing to permita, 20, are notched, as indicated at 22, and said 2o clearer View of the key-operated parts. notches engage circular lugs or pivots, 23, pro- Figure 3 is a similar vertical section taken, jecting from the faces of the dogs, I l, adjacent however, at a. plane farther forward than Figthe leVei, Eeeh 0f the dOgS has a 111g, 25,

ure 2 so as to include portions of the permutation DIOJ'ecting from its ODDOSite face, and the leVel, mechanism. I4, has an arm, 24, which normally contacts with 25 Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken sub- One 0f the lugs; 25, OI' Withdiewng the dogs, stantially as indicated at line 4 4 on Figure 3, Il, from the notches, IB, when the notched plate, Figure 5 is a vertical section showing the same I2, iS rotated by means 0f a key inserted in the parts as Figure 3 but with the shackle shifted slot, 6. Preferably, the inner faces of the dogs,

through the mmm portion of its-Opening move- Il, are slightly inclined as seen at Ila, and the 30 ment, cooperating faces of the notches, I6, are simi- Figure 6 is a Vertical sectin showing th-'same' larly inclined at. I6a so that when the shackle is parts as Figure 5 but with the shackle shifted locked any outward pun upon it Wn] tenfi-t0 farther toward its open position, Y crowd the dogs farther toward locking pos1t1on Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section taken rather than t0 force them back out 0f th? 35 substantially as indicated at line 'I-l on Fignotches 6- ure 5 The permutation mechanlsm includes three For the sake of convenience and clearness the notched tumbler disks 26 21 and 278 journaled features of construction concerned with the key for rotation' on* the upstandng Spindle 1 A i0V operation of the look wi11 be mst described. Fig- WW1' 29 is nnerumed on the .Same pivot: 5 40 ure 1 is an external View showing the casing I, which carries the lever, I4, and 1s formed with a tooth, 30, dimensioned to enter the notches, 26a, 1n which the shackle, 2, 1s slidably mounted, and 21a and 28a, of the three tumbler disks when said which Carries. on it? front face .2'.rotatab1edial tumblers are adjusted ywith the notches in regmember 3 Wth Whlh there 1S, nglny assoclated istretion with eeen other and with the tooth, ao, a knob, 4, for adJustmg the dial with respect to of the pew/1 However" to permit entry of the a nXed ndex mark 5 0n the face 0f the casing I pawl tooth, 30, into the notches, it is necessary The knob 4, 1S formed With 2 Central aperture that en additional disk or plate, 3|, be shifted aiordingl access t0 the key Slot, 6, 0f the Centrally around the axis of the spindle, 1, to bring its disposed spindle, 1, of the plug or barrel of the notch, 3Ia, into registration with the others. This 50 key lock. Said spindle, I5, is Seen -upstandins is effected by a. short initial movement ofthe above the Diane 0f Section in Figure 2, While a shackle, 2, toward unlocking` position, whichv is portion of the barrel, 8, is shown in section jourpermitted by the excess width of the notches, naled in the fixed cylinder, k9, of the key lock I6, over the thickness of the locking dogs, Il. At which is formed with grooves, I I), into which the any time `while the dogs, I'I, remain in locking 55 position, the shackle, 2, may be withdrawn to this extent, as shown in Figure 5; and since the disk or plate, 3|, has an arm, 32, engaged with the longer leg, 2a, of the shackle, 2, (by extension of a terminal lug, 32a, into a groove, 2b, of said shackle leg) the initial outward movement of the shackle causes suii'icient rotation of the plate, 3|, to'bring the notch, 3Ia, into alignment or registration with the notches of the tumbler disks, and thus permit entry of the pawl tooth, 30, into said notches. The pawl is urged into the notches by means of a relatively heavy spring, 33, coiled about the hub of the coil, and with one end hooked over the tooth portion, 30, while the opposite end reacts against a partition wall of the case. The pawl, 29, includes an arm, 34, which engages the lug, 25, of one of the dogs,

II, so that as the tooth, 30, moves into the reg` istered notches of the permutation tumbler disks, this arm, 34, shifts the dog, I1, out of engagementwith the notch, I6, of the shackle, and, simultaneously, the other lockingdog, I1, is similarly lwithdrawn from the other notch of the shackle by virtue of the inter-connection of said dogs through the lever, 20.

With the dogs, I'I, thus withdrawn, the shackle,

2, isfree to be moved outwardly to open position,v

and such movement causes further rotation of the plate, 3|, through the connection of its yarm with the shackleleg, 2a. The notch of the plate, 3|, is formed with one side inclined to a radius of the plate'so that 'this inclined side of the notch shall act cam-wise upon the pawl tooth, 30, forcing it outwardly as the plate is rotated. A second arm, 35, extending from the plate, 3|, supports a pivoted ratchet, 36, whose spring, 3'I, urges it toward the. peripheries of the permutation tumbler disks, Each of said disks .has a small notch, 38which is engaged by the ratchet, 36, during the outward movement of the shackle leg, 2a, so that the `permutation disks are thus shifted to carry their deeper notches out of registration with the pawl tooth, 30, as soon as said tooth has been swung clear of said notches by the. camming action `of the notch, 3Ia, just described. The notches of the permutation disks are of Yapproximately the same shape as the notch, 3|a, in the plate, and ltend to move in registration with the latter during the withdrawal of -the pawl tooth, 30. Thus, by the time the shackle, 2, has arrived at open position, the registered adjustment of the notches of the permutation 'disks has been destroyed, rendering it impossible for anyone tampering with the lock t,o discover the Vcombinationrby any external manipulation of the shackle of the knob, .4: The dogs, |'I, are no longer held out of locking position bythe le'ver arm, 34, but theirreturn is blocked by the position ol? the shacklev leg, 2a,xas seen in Figure 6.

While the shackle is open, it may berotated aboutthe -axis of the longer leg, 2a, and for closing the lock it .is only vnecessary to align the shorter leg, 2=,.with the opening in the case, and press the shacklev inwardly. This movement bring the notches, I6, back into registration with the locking dogs, I'I, which are immediately forced into said notches by'thei'r springs, I8. 'Ihe inward movementof `the shackle leg, 2a, rotates thedisk, 3|, back to the initial position, carrying with it thepivoted ratchet, 36, and the nal portion of such movement brings the tail 39', onto the 'cam` surface, 40, xed inthe case, I, for rocking the ratchet "about its'pivot` so as to swing Aits tooth clear ofthe permutation disks,'leaving them free to be adjusted rotatably in either direction in the usual manner by means of the knob, 4. It may be understood that said disks are provided with lugs or bosses projecting from their mutually opposite surfaces to afford a driving connection from each disk to the next, by which they may be rotatively adjusted by turning the knob, 4, first in one direction and then in the other, until the deep notches of the 'disks are brought into registration with the pawl tooth, 30. The position of such a boss is indicated at 28h, on the disk,

, 28, shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6. The knob itself is, interlocked with the outer disk, 28, by means of a pair of lugs, 4a, engaging notches, 4|, in a hub or. collar, '42, associated with the disk, 28.

In the normal, completely closed position of the shackle, l2, as shown in Figure 3, the tooth, 30, of the spring-pressed pawl, 29, rests upon the periphery of the disk or plate, 3|, adjacent its notch, 3|a, and preferably this disk is made of slightlylarger diameter than the disks, 26, 2'I and 28, of the permutation mechanism, so that while the plate, 3|, remains in this position, supporting the tooth, 3U, the permutation disks are free for rotative adjustment. However, since a slight outward pull on the shackle, 2, will register the notch, 3|, with the tooth, 30, and permit the latter to drop onto the edges of the permutation disks, I prefer ,to form these edges with a series of false notches, 43, of relatively slight depth, but each of the same width as the. deep notches, 26a, 2'Ia and 28a, which receive the pawl tooth, 30, when the lock is to'be opened. Thus, in any attempt to feel out the combination by drawing out the shackle through this initial distance and manipulating the knob, 4, the movement of the knob and its connected tumbler or tumblerswill be blocked or seriously hampered by engagement of the tooth, 30, with the false notches, 43, of the permutation disks. The slight movement of the parts permitted by engagement of the pawl tooth in one of the false notches will be substantially the same as that which might be experienced if the deep notch of one of the tumblers was registered with the pawl, thus making it impossible to vdistinguish between a false notch and the true effective notch in such manipulation of the lock. But all interference from the false notches is avoided in the normal and proper operation of the lock by leaving the shackle, 2, at the inner limit of its range, and thus leaving the plate, 3|, in position to hold the pawl away from the notched edges of the permutation disks while they are being adjusted in accordance with the Yworking combination of the lock. For steadying the movement of the shackle and retaining it yieldingly in position in the casing, a bent spring arm, 44, of flat stock is anchored Vin the casing sothat its angularly bent portion will engage in the groove, 2b, ofthe shackle leg, 2*", while an intermediate portion of the spring bears frictionally against the smooth surface Tof said leg.

,'While there is shown'and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be'manifest to those skilled inthe art that various modifications and re-arrangements of the parts-may be made without departing from the spirit and the `'scope of the invention, and that the same vis not limited to the particular form herein'shown and'described, except in so far .as indicated-bythe appended claims.

-Iclaim: Y f -1." lnia padlock including a case and a notched shackle slidable therein, a locking -dog engageaisance being wider than the portion of the dog whichY engages in it, thus permitting of an initial movement of the' shackle toward unlocking position prior to withdrawal of the. dog, permutation mechanism including a paWl and a plurality of notched tumbler disks rotatably adjustable for registering their notches with the pawl, and an additional notched disk coaxial with the others and normally blocking movement of the pawl but connected to be rotated by the said initial movement of the shackle through a distance suiiicient to register its notch also with the pawl, permitting said pawl .to enter the registered notches; and means by which such movement of the pawl shifts the dog to release the shackle.

2. In a padlock including a case and a notched shackle slidable therein, a locking dog engageable with the notch of the shackle, permutation mechanism including a pawlfand al plurality of notched tumbler disks rotatably adjustable for registering their notches with the pawl, means for moving the paWl into said notches, said movement serving to Withdraw the locking dog from the shackle, and a member co-axial with said disks and connected to be rotated by the shackle in its withdrawal from locked position, said member carrying a ratchet engageable with the peripheries of the disk for upsetting their registered arrangement as the lock is opened.

3. In the combination defined in claim 24, said member being permanently engaged with theshackle, whereby it is returned when the shackle is returned to locked position.

4. In the combination defined in claim 2, a cam surface provided in the casing positioned to act against a portion of said ratchet for holding it out of engagement with the peripheries of the disks when the shackle is in locked position but formed to release said ratchet for such engagement as the carrying member is rotated by Withdrawal of the shackle.

5. In a padlock including a case and a notched shackle slidable therein, a locking dog engageable with the notch of the shackle, the notch being wider than the portion of the dog which engages in it, thus permitting of an initial movement of the shackle toward unlocking position v prior to withdrawal of the dog, permutation mechanism including a pawl and a plurality of notched tumbler disks rotatably adjustable for registering their notches with said pawl, an additional notched disk co-axial with the others and normally blocking movement of the pawl but connected to be rotated by said initial movement of the shackle through a distance sufficient to register its notch also with the paWl, spring means arranged to shift the pawl into said registered notches, and an arm actuated by such movement of the paWl engaging the dog and shifting it for releasing the shackle.

6. In a padlock including a case and a notched shackle slidable therein, a locking dog engageable With the notch of the shackle, the notch being Wider than the portion of the dog which engages in it, thus permitting of an initial movement of the shackle toward unlocking position prior to withdrawal of the dog, permutation mechanism including a pawl and a plurality of notched tumbler disks rotatably adjustable for registering their notches with the pawl, and an additional notched disk arranged coaxially with the others and normally blocking movement of the pawl but connected to be rotated by the said initial movement of the shackle through a distance suflicient to register its notch also With the.

pawl, permitting said pawl to enter the registered notches; and means by which such movement of the pawlshifts the dogto release the shackle, together with a ratchet 'carried by said additional disk and engageable with the peripheries of the tumbler disks for rotatingthem to destroy fthe registered arrangement ofv their notches during the opening movement of the shackle.

7. In a padlock including a case and a notched shackle slidable therein and having an externally exposed part, a locking member in the case engageable withv the notch of the shackle, permutation mechanism including' a plurality of notched tumblers rotatably adjustable and an externally exposed knob for adjustingl them with their notches in registration and a member which enters said registered notches in the process of unlocking the shackle, the release of the shackle from the case requiring one of said external parts to be moved manually after such adjustment of the tumblers is effected, means Within the case arranged to transmit said manuallyV effected movement to at least one of the tumblers to rotate the same, and means for disengaging the aforesaid member from the tumbler notches during such rotation of the tumblers.

8. In a padlock including a case and a shackle slidable therein, both legs of said shackle being notched, movable locking means in the case engageable with both shackle notches and inter-connected `for simultaneous movement into and out of such engagement, spring means urging the locking means toward shackle-engaging position, one leg of the shackle having a portion of substantial length extending within the casing beyond its notch and registerable with the locking means when the other leg of the shackle has been withdrawn from the casing in unlocked position, whereby the locking means is blocked against return to locking position until the shackle notches are again registered therewith, and mechanism in the casing for controlling release of the locking means.

9. In a padlock including a case and a shackle slidable therein, both legs of said shackle being notched, separate locking dogs in the case engageable with the shackle notches respectively, means by which said dogs are inter-connected for simultaneous movement into and out of such engagement, spring means urging said dogs toward shackle-engaging position, one leg of the shackle having a portion of substantial length extending within the casing beyond its ,notch registrable with the locking dog when the shackle is withdrawn in unlocked position, and thus serving to retain the dogs in released position until the shackle notches are again registered therewith, a permutation mechanism in the case having a part arranged to engage one of said dogs for moving it in direction to release the shackle, said permutation mechanism including a pawl and a plurality of notched tumbler disks ,rotatably adjustable for registering their notches with the pawl, means for moving the paWl into said notches when registered, said movement serving to withdraw the locking dogs from the shacklenotches, and a member mounted co-axially with said disks and connected to be rotated by the shackle in its withdrawal from locked position, said member carrying a ratchet engageable with the peripheries of the disks for upsetting their registered arrangement as the lock is opened, said upsetting movement forcing the pawl out of the notches of the disks, whereupon the aforesaid leg of the shackle serves' to hold the dogs out ofA locking position.

10Q Ina padlock including a case and a shackle slidable therein, both legs ofsaid shackle being notched, separate locking dogs in the caseengageable with the shackle notches respectively, means by which said dogs are inter-connected for simultaneous movement into and out of such engagement, spring means urging said dogs toward shackle-engaging position, one leg of the shackle having a portion of substantial length extending Within the casing beyond its notch registrable with the locking dog when the shackle is withdrawn in unlocked position, and thus serving to retain the dogs in released position until the shackle notches are again registered therewith, a permutation mechanism in the case having a part arranged to engage one of said dogs for moving it in direction to release the shackle, said permutation mechanism including a pawl and a plurality of notched tumbler disks rotatably adjustable for registering their notches With the pawl, and an additional notched disk arranged co-axially with the others and normally blocking movement of the pawl but connected to be rotated by the said initial movement of the shackle through a distance sufficient to register its notch also with the pawl, permitting said pawl to enter the registered notches;

and means by which such movement of the pawl shifts the dog to release the shackle, together with a ratchet carried by said additional disk and engageable With the peripheries of the tumbler disks for rotating them to destroy the registered arrangement of their notches during the opening movement of, the shackle.

11. In a padlock including a case and a notched shackle slidable therein, a locking dog engageable Withthe notch of the shackle, the notch being Wider than the portion of the dog which engages in it, thus permitting of an initial movement of the shackle toward unlocking position prior to Withdrawal of the dog, permutation mechanism including a spring-pressed pawl and a plurality of notched tumbler disks rotatably adjustable for registering their notches with the pawl to receive the latter under stress of its spring, means normally blocking such movement of the pawl but adjustable by the aforesaid initial g movement of, the shackle to permit said pawl movement, the tumbler disks having their peripheries formed with false notches to be engaged by the pawl if the blocking member is moved to clear the pawl before the disks are properly registered.

l2. In the combination dened in claim 11, said blocking means being formed as a disk mounted co-axially with the tumblers and having a substantially smooth periphery slightly larger in diameter than said tumblers which prevents engagement of the pawl in the false notches until said disk is shifted by said initial movement of the shackle.

13. In a padlock including a case and an externally projecting notched shackle slidable therein, a locking member in the case engageable with the notch of the shackle, permutation mechanism including a plurality of. notched tumbler disks rotatably adjustable, and an externally projecting knob for adjusting them With their notches in registration as a part of the process of unlocking the shackle, one of said externally projecting parts being adapted to be moved manually in the process of opening-the lock after such adjustment of the tumblers is effected, and a member engageable with at least one of the tumblers and movable rotatively about their common axis by said manual movement of said part for destroying the registered arrangement of. the tumblers.

14. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legs slidable in said openings, one of said legs being longer than the other, a shackle locking means in said case including a rotatable tumbler movable to release said shackle and means actuated by the long leg of said shackle in the unlocking movement of the shackle to turn said tumbler out of shackle releasing position.

15. A padlock comprising a case having openings, a shackle having legs slidable in said openings, one of said legs being longer than the other, shackle-locking means in said case engageable With the shorter leg, adjusting means including a movable indicator and a co-operating xed index extending externally of the case, said adjusting means being operatively related to the shackle-locking means for adjusting it to a position at which the shackle is released, and means actuated by the longer leg of the shackle in the unlocking movement of the shackle to shift the adjusting means and its indicatorY out of. its adjustment at shackle-releasing position.

DILLWYN M. BELL. 

